There are investigations and studies for all tastes. Some often surprise us. Those are the ones that appear the most in the general media, the ones that say something funny or curious. Others go more unnoticed. The point is that anyone can participate in an investigation. Through The Music Lab, for example, you can help some researchers from Harvard University with a study that has to do with the musical ear, your perception of sounds and what evokes music.
As simple as it sounds. From a link, without registration or personal data, you can collaborate selflessly. You will only have to dedicate 10 minutes to an experiment. You will need headphones , although the speakers of your computer or smartphone will also work, and play some sounds. The study claims to investigate how the mind works . Interesting, right?
No pricks or tests of blood or other fluids. And without getting up from the sofa or the chair. Just a few minutes of your time and without leaving home. A way to have fun while collaborating with a research study that will test your musical ear and your perception of sounds at different frequencies. Among other things you will discover if you take the test online.
Photo by Bruce Mars
Music, sounds and how your mind reacts
Your participation is completely anonymous. That says the welcome page of this particular study. A relief for those who do not like to give personal data just like that. The data that you will contribute to the study, if you participate, has to do with the answers you give to the questionnaire. But they are generic questions. And you will be collaborating with a research study while testing your musical ear. Its managers say that your answers will be stored on a server at Harvard University and protected with a password.
Of course, the data resulting from the investigation, obviously, will be shared with other researchers. And with the general public so that everyone knows the results and discoveries derived from the study. But your personal data will not appear. What's more, you can communicate with those responsible by sending them an email.
But let's get to the point. If you participate in this study you will hear some sounds. Hence, it is recommended that you use headphones. From these sounds, they will ask you some questions related to your emotions or state of mind, musical and artistic preferences and tastes, etc. The most personal has to do with your family and your demographic information. Something useful to filter or specify the results of the study according to the type of population. Of course, the test is in English. So if you don't know this language, it will be difficult for you to do it.
As the presentation page of this study points out, in practice it is an online game that will serve to obtain answers to questions related to music and moods, musical tastes and, why not, musical ear. And it won't take you more than 10 minutes. So if you don't know what to do or you're curious, try the test to see what happens.
First they will ask you some questions about your hearing level. The answer is personal, of course, but it is assumed that you will answer honestly. They will also ask you about your level or musical ear. Whether you consider yourself average or not. Then, with a melody that will clearly ring a bell, you will be able to adjust the volume of the speakers or headphones and you will start to hear some sounds. After a few demographic questions, in order to locate you by age, gender and geographical location, you will hear some sounds. As if it were a game, you must indicate the appropriate key. Everything is explained. In short, an activity that goes through different phases, some of them in the form of simple but entertaining games.
An incentive of this study in which you can participate selflessly, in addition to having fun for a few minutes, is that at the end you will obtain a result on your musical ear or hearing capacity. Come on, you will know if you perceive all the sounds well or if some escape you. What's more, together with the graph you will get the result of whether you are above or below the average, an explanation about it and the possibility of downloading the graph with your hearing abilities.
Online tests to have a good time
In addition to this test that we have highlighted, in The Music Lab, which is part of the Department of Psychology at Harvard University, you will find more online tests in which to participate. All of them like the previous test, combining games with questions to study the human mind and its musical ear through different activities. And also in English, of course, although they will be easy to follow if you have a minimum level.
World songs, musical styles, musical ear, knowledge of songs from yesterday and today, recognition of accents from around the world… Each The Music Lab test has a specific duration. In addition, new activities are added with some frequency. As you can see, in the participant counter you will see that thousands of people have played or participated in them. Do you want to be the next?
So if you don't know what to do on a boring afternoon, you can try some of these tests and test your musical ear or your listening abilities related to songs from different parts of the world. Free, anonymous and with an added bonus, you will be collaborating with researchers from Harvard University to help us to know ourselves a little better.
